THE defense must now produce substantial counter-evidence to answer the audit deficiencies raised over Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s confidential funds.⠀
House trial spokesperson and impeachment adviser Robert “Ace” Barbers said the testimony of Commission on Audit (COA) auditor Roderick Wamil had placed the questioned transactions and incomplete documents before the Impeachment Court.
“Well sabi ko nga, itong nangyari kahapon na hearing, ‘yung burden, in my opinion, the burden of evidence shifted to the defense panel,” Barbers stressed during Karen Davila’s HeadStart interview on ANC.
⠀
Wamil testified that the OVP’s original and revised submissions did not fully establish the identities of recipients, the specific confidential activities undertaken and the supporting proof for several payments.
⠀
“And they will have to do a lot of counter-evidence to rebut this,” Barbers added.
⠀
The prosecution presented acknowledgment receipts linked to names without civil registry records and expenses allegedly outside the purposes allowed under Joint Circular No. 2015-01.
⠀
Barbers said the defense may have to establish the real persons behind the aliases and explain what intelligence information or service each recipient provided.
⠀
“If it will take for them to produce these people, if the impeachment court will allow this, may rules naman na pinag-uusapan dyan, siguro we will have to wait and see kung ano yung kanilang gagawin dyan,” Barbers explained.
⠀
The senator-judges will ultimately determine whether the prosecution has established the allegations and whether the defense has sufficiently rebutted its evidence.
⠀
Barbers said the unresolved question remained where the public money went and whether it was used for authorized confidential operations.
⠀
“The next step is to justify nila kung saan napunta ‘yung pondo,” Barbers noted.
⠀
“Kaya nga, that’s the reason why perhaps I can, in my opinion, the burden of evidence shifted to them,” Barbers added.
